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In order to prevent weight loss it is essential that energy intake and energy expenditure are in balance. Resting energy expenditure (REE) accounts for 65-75% of total energy expenditure, and is principally determined by body mass, therefore variations occur with body weight, body composition, age and gender. In order to reliably estimate energy requirements it is necessary to be able to assess REE accurately. Numerous equations have been developed for this purpose, and validated in different populations; however there is a lack of equations specifically for use in older adults. There is also little evidence available regarding the effects of ageing on REE, although it is known that there is a reduction in metabolically active tissue which is likely to result in a decrease in REE. This study aims to develop and validate prediction equations which will result in more reliable estimates of REE in older adults. This will enable Dietitians to provide appropriate nutritional support and therefore optimise nutritional status.

Our previous research indicates that the Sadness Program, an Internet-based treatment program for people with depression, is effective at helping people to learn to manage their symptoms of depression. The study described here aims to find out whether therapist support is required for people to successfully complete the Sadness Program. We expect that people completing the Sadness Program without therapist support (but who receive weekly telephone reminders) will still benefit, but not as much as those receiving the usual levels of therapist support.

This research project will test whether Chinese herbal medicine is useful for treating constipation predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (C-IBS). C-IBS has multiple symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and changed bowel habits. The Chinese herbal formulation being tested has been designed to address the multiple symptoms of C-IBS.

The primary purpose of the study was to investigate gastrointestinal and taste sensitivity to fats, and determine if 1) obese and lean individuals differed in their responses to an intraduodenal infusion of fat or saline and if their taste sensitivity to fats were also different, and 2) determine if taste and gastrointestinal fat sensitivity were related.

The Wollongong Sport pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to test the potential efficacy of a community-based after-school sports program designed for overweight and at-risk of overweight boys and girls. We propose that participation in the gender-specific programs (Wollongong Sport Physical Activity Program) will improve children’s weight status, blood profiles, physical activity, fitness, self-esteem and health-related quality of life, compared with children participating in an active placebo program (Wollongong Sport Healthy Lifestyle Program).

This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of both the most commonly used analgesics (Diclofenac and Panadol), and the mode of administration (oral or rectal), in relieving perineal pain after childbirth. We hypothesised that: 1. Regular oral analgesia is equally as effective as rectal analgesia in relieving perineal pain after childbirth. 2. Diclofenac is more effective an analgesia than Panadol. 3. Women prefer oral analgesia to rectal analgesia.

This trial hopes to improve the quality of life of patients whose age, heart or respiratory condition means that they regularly attend the emergency department. It aims to reduce the number of times patients come to hospital by improving the patient's home-based care plan. To do this, hospital staff will contact the patient's GP and other community-based health providers to discuss the best care plan. The outcomes of these patients will be compared to patients who do not receive this extra care planning.

Tragically, one patient in this state recently suffered a fatal outcome following a severe allergic reaction to acetazolamide, a routine post-operative oral tablet used following cataract surgery to combat increases in the amount of fluid pressure within the operated eye. If not controlled, this increase in pressure can lead to damage to the optic nerve and retinal artery and vein occlusion in susceptible patients. There have been 2 similar cases of severe allergic reactions to acetazolamide reported in the medical literature. A survey of consultants in the United Kingdom found that 83% of surgeons who routinely prescribed pressure lowering medications used acetazolamide. We propose to investigate the use of brimonidine, a topical agent in a case-control study vs. oral acetazolamide in patients who have undergone phacoemulsification cataract surgery. We hypothesise that this topical agent will have a similar or superior efficacy in controlling ocular hypertension, whilst avoiding potentially serious systemic adverse effects. It is hoped that this may provide the impetus for change in clinical practice, where currently, the majority of patients are prescribed oral acetazolamide. To our knowledge, such a study comparing single dose use of these medications has not been published.

The hypothesis for this study is that orally administered sodium bicarbonate has a similar effect on urine pH and serum bicarbonate as intravenously administered sodium bicarbonate. Contrast-induced nephropathy is a condition in which kidney damage can occur as a result of the use of contrast (dyes) given to patients during some radiology scans of the body. A drug called sodium bicarbonate is currently given intravenously (through the vein) to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy in those at high-risk. There are some disadvantages associated with the intravenous administration of the drug. For example, patients require insertion of an intravenous line specifically for the drug administration and need to be admitted to the hospital early in order for the line to be inserted and for drug administration to begin. Most importantly, patients will have to wait for at least 6 hours after they receive contrast for the sodium bicarbonate administration to be completed. The use of an oral form of the drug will overcome these issues. Sodium bicarbonate is available in an oral/capsule form; however, there is currently no information available to indicate that it is as effective as the intravenous form for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy. Sodium bicarbonate works to prevent contrast induced nephropathy by making the urine alkaline. The intravenous version of the drug is approved for urinary alkalinisation in Australia but the oral form is not even though it works the same way and is used world-wide for alkalinisation of the urine. The Australian approved indication for oral sodium bicarbonate is for a condition called metabolic alkalosis. For this condition the oral sodium bicarbonate works by alkalinising the urine. The purpose of this study is to see whether the effects of intravenous sodium bicarbonate on patients who are given this drug as part of their routine care is similar to that in patients who are given the oral version of the drug. In particular, patients’ blood test results and urine acidity/alkalinity (pH) will be studied. The results obtained will be used to decide whether it might be possible to do a larger study directly comparing the effectiveness of oral sodium bicarbonate with intravenous sodium bicarbonate to prevent contrast induced nephropathy in patients at risk. There are 2 parts to the study. In part 1, participants will attend Austin Health for their coronary angiogram or stent procedure as normal. The only requirements beyond routine care are two extra urine samples and an extra blood test. In the second part of the study participants (from part 1) will be asked to return to hospital 2 to 3 weeks after their procedure, take some sodium bicarbonate capsules, and provide two urine samples and two blood samples for testing. The urine samples and blood samples will be compared.

Many patients present to emergency departments with nausea and vomiting. There are many possible causes of nausea and vomiting, such as gastroenteritis, side effects of medications, or surgical conditions to name a few. Because of its many causes, emergency department nausea and vomiting is difficult to study and treat. Drugs used to treat nausea and vomiting are called antiemetics. Very few studies of emergency department nausea and vomiting have been performed. Evidence from other areas of medicine, including cancer and postoperative research, has been used to determine what drugs are used in the emergency department setting. The patients in such research however are different to emergency department patients, and so it is not possible to reliably transfer the evidence. We propose to study two drugs used in the emergency department for nausea and vomiting. We will compare them to each other and also to placebo (an inactive injection that looks the same as the study drugs). These two drugs are called metoclopramide and ondansetron. It is possible that the drugs currently used in emergency departments for nausea and vomiting are not more effective than placebo (inactive drug). Given that these drugs have side effects, it is important to find out if they work. To make sure patients are not potentially disadvantaged by getting placebo, I have excluded patients with very severe nausea or vomiting from this study. Also, if patients still have nausea or vomiting after 45 minutes from the start of treatment, they can get a “rescue” medication of intermediate dose Ondansetron. Since the two active drugs studied are well proven to work in patients with nausea or vomiting due to cancer therapies or post surgical patients, I have also excluded such patients from this study. Everybody involved in the trial will be blinded (not know which drug the subject is getting). The subject will be randomly allocated to which treatment they will get. This will help to ensure the results and conclusions are accurate. Subject response to the study drugs will be compared to each other and to placebo (inactive drug) to see which is the best drug for the treatment of emergency department nausea and vomiting.